So today i started to put on the coats of Tru Oil on both of my current ukulele projects ( the one for Hana Lima, and the one for me ).I put the first coat on about 11am, and then I came back to put the 2nd coat around 10pm. I noticed that in the time i let the applicator rag sit, the tru oil hardened, and now the rag is stiff.Is this normal? When you guys are oiling, do you only get one usage out of your rags, or did i do something wrong?Please give me some feedback on this.ThanksBob

That is normal. If you put the rag in a plastic bag it will still be usable for the evening oiling, but then will have to be thrown out. Your rub off cotton rags can be cut up and used as oiling rags whjen you notice that they are starting to get a little too much accumulation of oil.

I've found that I prefer applying Tru Oil with my bare fingers. I feel like I have more control of application doing it that way. Also less chance for accumulation of lint particles in your finish. Tru Oil cleans up (off your fingers) very easily with paint thinner, and I found that using this method the application goes very quickly.

A minor idea on TruoilI punched a hole in the seal of the bottle and apply it in drops on the surface. Three drops and spread it around, then move on to the next area. The small hole might reduce the chances of drying up in the bottle. I use a three inch square of cloth to apply and paper towel th wipe off.

Thanks everyone for the advice.Bob, I heard the same idea from Mike Chock, so when I bought my bottle of tru oil, I just took an exacto knife and poked a small 1/16" hole.it seems to be working so far.AlohaBob

Yes, the Tru-oil does like to film over and dry out with exposure to air. Recently I posted a hint on storing Tru-oil that I received from another forum. konacat wrote on Jul 3rd, 2008 at 9:43pm:

I came upon this post on the OLF and thought it needed its own thread so our members could read of the great idea to preserve Tru-oil.

Enjoy,

Philip

I recently ordered some Tru-Oil from a vendor here in Western Australia called Arms and Cartridge Supplies http://www.armscar.com.au/index. Whilst talking to the owner, Chris, I enquired about the shelf life of Tru-Oil. Chris said it was fine, just as long as you limit it's exposure to air and he went on to make the following suggestion.

Tru-Oil is a very fast drying oil finish and will skin over quite quickly. To avoid this you need to ensure that little air remains in the bottle to react with the finish during storage. To address this, keep a few marbles at hand. As you use a little of the oil, simply replace its volume by dropping a marble into the bottle. This will expel the air and keep the liquid Tru-Oil brimming at the neck of the bottle.

Cheers

Kim

Tim,

If you apply Tru-oil by hand how can you keep the coats thin? I was taught to use a number coats that were wiped very thin with a cloth. Then again there are a variety of application schedules for different finishes. My goal is to keep the finish just thin enough for leveling and polishing.

you know, Philip, I don't think that it builds up any quicker when applying it with fingers than it does when applying it with a rag. All I know is that it led to a glossy, rich, deep looking finish that I loved. In fact, when I went back to polish as the final step of finishing I lost some of that glossiness and was never really able to get it back, polish as I might.

I know that I started off applying Tru Oil, then wiping it off, as instructed, but unfortunately I don't remember if I was doing that in the later stages of finishing. I THINK I was, but I'm not sure. That would certainly keep your applications thin, whether applied by rag or by fingers. I just felt I had better control of the finish when I was applying it with bare fingers

My one hesitation with Tru Oil, at least when using a spruce soundboard, is that it does yellow that pretty blond wood quite a bit. That characteristic of Tru Oil isn't as noticeable on darker woods, but it is on the spruce, and I might try lacquer on my next build with spruce.

Tru Oil cleans up very easily with mineral spirits or paint thinner, but it would probably be a lot easier to just toss the rags than try to clean them. I cut small, one-application sized pieces, and tossed them after each application.

The clean rag you use for wiping off excess should be usable for numerous applications.